


It's Free Real Estate

by sketchypotato



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Established Relationship, M/M, Two pink haired brats, Who will win, dun dun dunnnnn, one yuzuru
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-20
Updated: 2018-12-20
Packaged: 2019-09-23 17:54:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17084963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sketchypotato/pseuds/sketchypotato
Summary: Tori isn't worried just because Yuzuru took a day off work, but because of how suspicious he's acting about it. And so he goes off to investigate....





	It's Free Real Estate

**Author's Note:**

> I've always wondered how Ibara and Tori would interact, I can't imagine they like each other much lmao. Anyway this fic has been sitting in my drafts for months, shout out to my wifi-less plane flights and Red Velvet's release of RBB (Really Bad Boy) for getting me to finish this
> 
> It's set several years after graduation so they're all adults btw

It wasn't unlike Yuzuru to take a day off. Not nowadays, at least, and Tori even encouraged him to take more time for himself. He had made friends during his time in Yumenosaki and after graduation, friends he could have fun and hang out with, and the other staff at the Himemiya house were mostly competent enough to function without him, the Head Butler.

What _was_  unusual was for him to plan not to come home that night, and be very cagey about the reason. All he stated was that he was going to watch a movie with friends, but ignored Tori's question when he asked who these friends were. Watching a movie isn't an overnight affair either, so there was no reason for him to plan to stay out that long. It was certainly suspicious.

Getting himself ready for the day, Tori pondered about it. What could Yuzuru possibly be doing that he didn't want him to know about it? Tori didn't want to be so narcissistic to think that Yuzuru was arranging a surprise for him, it wasn't even close to his birthday. Could he be doing something dangerous? The Himemiyas were involved in some.... shady dealings, dealings which Tori was working very hard to legitimize as the business heir. Maybe they had gotten into some issues and Yuzuru was going to deal with it himself to prevent any trouble to Tori? What if someone with a grudge against the family had threatened them? It wasn't impossible, and he knew Yuzuru had no qualms about resorting to violence, but he definitely didn't want him to endanger himself like that. Usually he would trust Yuzuru to take care of himself, but if it was a matter of safety.....

It was just too worrying, and so Tori made a decision: he would follow Yuzuru out on his day off.

Tori did not have any important work to do that day (why would he plan anything important with Yuzuru not around?), so that wasn't an issue. Tailing Yuzuru without him noticing would be difficult tho, he knew how perceptive Yuzuru was, so Tori would have to be very careful. He secretly colluded with the chauffer to tell Tori where he would drop off Yuzuru before he left, and prepared a disguise of clothes that were totally not his style (mostly borrowed or received from his friends, including a hoodie Yuuta gifted to him once.) After seeing off Yuzuru, he quickly changed and got another chauffeur to bring him to the station Yuzuru was supposed to be dropped off at.

Sunglasses on, cap lowered, Tori peered around the station entrance. It would be troublesome if Yuzuru had gotten off only to board a train before Tori reached, but fortunately he only seemed to be at the stations to wait for someone. It was a crowded public area, Yuzuru looked calm and totally not ready to start a fight or engage in shady black market dealings, and Tori was starting to wonder if he might have been overreacting a bit. Well, he had already come this far, he might as well see who Yuzuru was meeting in order to assuage his fears.

Yuzuru looks up from his phone as a bespectacled figure exits the station, a person who, to Tori's absolute shock and horror, proceeds to link his arms through Yuzuru's and kiss him on the cheek.

Saegusa Ibara.

Or at least that's who that person looked like to Tori, the magenta-haired member of Eden who managed to get on his nerves every time they met, except that as far as Tori knew he and Yuzuru absolutely _hated_ each other. Weren't they constantly spewing insults at each other during the joint lives between fine and Eden? That couldn't _possibly_  be the same guy who was now sticking to Yuzuru like glue, and even leaning his head against Yuzuru's shoulder...

It was painful to watch, really. But unless Saegusa had a secret twin (which wasn't impossible! Tori barely knew anything about the guy) then it probably was him. Tori shifted out from his hiding place slightly to get a better view, nearly getting a heart attack when he thought he made eye contact with Saegusa, but the moment was brief and he didn't seem to react to it, so Tori brushed it off as a coincidence. What was even more concerning was how calm Yuzuru seemed to be about all this; he didn't brush off Saegusa at all, and while he showed some slight annoyance his expression was almost fond. All things considered, this situation simply looked like they were on... a date.

As far as Tori knew, this really couldn't be happening right now. Maybe he was right to be worried, Yuzuru had probably been brainwashed to fall in love with the enemy! That was the only way that could explain why Yuzuru currently looked like he was in love with someone he was supposed to hate.

 _Well you also used to think you hated Tsukasa,_  his mind unhelpfully supplied him, _and that turned out to be..._

Tori shook the thought out of his head. This was different, clearly, because it was Yuzuru we're talking about. He didn't have much more time to dwell on it as the pair left the station, Tori following behind them at a reasonable distance.

The first stop on this... "date", was a cute and cozy cafe for lunch. Tori took a seat a few tables down from Yuzuru and Saegusa, and tried hard to hear what they were chatting to each other about to no avail. He had to duck behind the menu for a moment when Yuzuru seemed to turn his head in his direction, and when he looked back up he was faced with a scene that really made him wish he didn't. There was Saegusa, lifting up a spoon to Yuzuru's mouth with a sickly sweet smile that made Tori want to gag. Yuzuru paused, narrowing his eyes at the food on spoon, but after a little nudge from Saegusa he rolled his eyes and ate it. Ibara's smile grew even wider.

Tori didn't look back at that table again.

Time didn't seem to pass fast enough until Tori saw the pair leave the restaurant, and he quickly paid and left to follow them. The next place they arrived at was a movie theatre, and Tori joined the queue three people behind them, leaving him to strain his ears to make out which movie they were choosing to watch. Unfortunately, he couldn't hear anything from that distance, until Saegusa suddenly raised his voice.

"Well _dear_ , wouldn't we _love_ to watch Bunnyland 2: Return of the Fluff?"

It was at times like this that Tori was glad that he didn't look like the 21 year old man he actually was. With his sweetest, cutest smile, he bought two tickets (to look a little less like a loser) and entered the theatre area, only to see Yuzuru and Saegusa _not_  enter theatre 4. He followed them into theatre 6 instead, taking a seat at the thankfully empty back row, and did his best to keep his eyes on them until the movie started.

Because it was hard to do anything but cover his eyes once the movie started, especially with the eerie music and loud screams and jump-scares that quickly made Tori realise that it was a horror movie. A really terrifying one at that, especially with no Yuzuru or Tsukasa to cling onto as a zombie's dismembered arm flies across the screen. Part of him was even starting to wish he had just gone to watch Bunnyland instead, as he covered his eyes and waited for the awful wailing noises on-screen to end.

He didn't even think about Yuzuru or Saegusa as he stumbled out of the theatre, nerves frazzled and half expecting some bloody ghost to jump out at him at any moment. It was in this disoriented state that he accidentally bumped into someone in front of him. Tori jumped back with a yelp, and looked up to face an even bigger horror.

Yuzuru didn't even look shocked to see Tori, and in fact, one could say he looked disappointed. Saegusa, on the other hand, was grinning wildly, his arm linked with Yuzuru's as he clung onto him closely.

"Bocchama, what are you doing?"

Tori could only let out a small "meep", drawing out a chuckle from Saegusa. Somehow that small, annoying act was enough to snap Tori out of his daze, as he pointed an accusing finger at Saegusa, then at Yuzuru.

"Well, what are YOU doing Yuzuru?"

That at least seemed to make Yuzuru look a bit guilty, and he continued. "You were acting all suspicious when you were heading out this morning, of course I was worried! And I follow you to find out that you are dating..." He waved his arm towards Saegusa. "...This?"

Saegusa raised an eyebrow and opened his mouth to make a retort, but Yuzuru cut in. "Shall we settle this someplace else?" He said, massaging his forehead. "This may take some time."

 

* * *

 

 

They sat down at a small cafe, Tori taking one side of the booth seat while the other two sat opposite. Saegusa had taken this moment to lean against Yuzuru, wearing a smirk that set off Tori's every instinct to want to punch him.

Yuzuru cleared his throat. "You two have already met before, but allow me to formally introduce you two again. Ibara, this is my young master, Himemiya Tori. Tori, this is my..... boyfriend.... Saegusa Ibara."

Yuzuru waited a moment. "Please shake hands, you two."

Reluctantly, Tori stretched out his hand, and shaked it with Saegusa's. "Let's get along, Saegusa," he said, although sceptical.

"I'm sure we will, Himemiya-san" Saegusa beamed back, although the glint in his eyes was far from friendly.

Tori retracted his hand quickly, his eyes darting between Yuzuru and Saegusa, being not quite sure what to say. "So... How long has this been going on?"

Saegusa slung his arm around Yuzuru. "Well you would like to know-"

"It's only been a week," Yuzuru cut in, though he looked like he was trying very hard to ignore the arm around his shoulder. "I was planning to tell you, Bocchama..... Eventually."

Tori raise an eyebrow. "Eventually."

"Well I at least had some hope that you would trust me enough to let you know on my own terms, instead of getting followed on my first date," Yuzuru shot back.

Now it was Tori's turn to look guilty. "I told you I was worried! And- wait, since when did you realise I was following you two?"

"From the very start," chirped in Saegusa, sipping a milkshake with a straw, "I have to say that your spying attempts were at least amusing to watch!"

"Why you-"

"This is why I didn't want you two to meet," sighed Yuzuru.

"But why him?" Tori had stood up and was now pointing at Saegusa accusingly. "I thought you two hated each other!"

"I would appreciate if you didn't speak as if I wasn't right in front of you."

"Bocchama please sit down." Yuzuru sighed again. "It's true that Ibara and I have had disagreements in the past, but we have grown from that." He raised an eyebrow. "Wasn't it similar for you and Suou-sama?"

Tori blushed furiously. "Don't change the subject! This is about you, Yuzuru!"

Yuzuru smiled, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. "Ibara is......" Another pause, and then he frowned and turned to Ibara. "Why don't you have more redeeming qualities."

"Oh of course I do," Saegusa grinned and winked back. "I can do _many_  things, they're just not things you want to mention to your dear darling Boccha- ow ow OK! You can let go of my ear now!”

Absolutely gross, and it was giving Tori mental images he definitely didn't want. "This doesn't explain anything Yuzuru. Don't tell me it's "just because you're in love with him" or something cheesy like that!"

Yuzuru shut his mouth. Even Saegusa was looking at him curiously now, leaning in further as Yuzuru looked away.

And was he.... Blushing?

"Oh my God." Tori dragged his hands down his face.

"Oh my God." Saegusa looked like he was trying to laugh it off, but it wasn't very convincing when his face was turning as red as his hair.

Seconds ticked by excruciatingly slowly, until the awkward moment was thankfully broken by a phone's ringing. Yuzuru looked up and checked his phone, brows furrowing as he excused himself from the table to take the call outside, leaving Tori and Saegusa all alone.

Tori took a deep breath. Not having Yuzuru there made things ten times more awkward, but there was definitely something he needed to say.

"Saegusa," he started, eyes focused on the opposite party. "You might think I just see Yuzuru as my Butler, but he is actually like a family member to me, and I'd do anything to protect him as he has done for me. If you even think about hurting him, I'll let you know the Himemiya's are very powerful, and you will regret it."

"Yes yes yes, I know all about you, Himemiya's _young master_." Ibara rolled his eyes, his cheery facade completely gone at this point. "Funny how you think you know anything about me, however." He looked down at his plate, poking the remains of a tart with his fork. "For one thing," he continued, much softer now, "you really think _I_  would be the one to break _his_  heart?"

Tori was rather stunned at this response. "What-"

"Those who are able to get everything they want have no right to criticise those who have to fight for it." He pointed his fork at Tori. "You have had Yuzuru by your side all your life, along with plenty of others to come at your beck and call, I'm sure. I don't see why you should be so worked up about him wanting to be with me when you barely know who I am from our sparse interactions, nor do you know anything about my actual relationship with Yuzuru." He put down the fork. "And stalking is rather rude, isn't it?"

Tori opened his mouth, thought again about what he was going to say, and then closed it again. Ibara returned to finishing the crumbs of his tart.

"Then tell me about yourself."

Ibara looked up, clearly surprised.

"Well.... We both care a lot about Yuzuru... And you seem to know a lot about me already, so tell me about yourself so that we can get along! I'm listening." Tori tried hard not to stutter on any of his words, but a big part of himself was really unsure about what he was saying.

Ibara blinked once, as if to process what he was saying, and then laughed.

"You really think we can get along just like that? What a funny guy!" He smiled. "Although I appreciate the effort, Himemiya-san! It's a very long story however, and you might be interested to know that part of it involves your family directly!"

"What-"

"Sorry to interrupt," said Yuzuru, suddenly appearing beside the table. "But there is an emergency back at the Himemiya house." He looked at Ibara very guiltily. "I have to go back."

Tori saw Ibara's smile drop immediately at that, and for a moment Tori even felt sorry him. Ibara let out a defeated sigh.

"Of course, they need you..." He muttered.

Yuzuru moved forward and took his hand. "I'll meet you back at your place later, OK? I'll make it up to you, Ibara." Yuzuru gave a sad smile, and as Ibara's pout continued he leaned in and gave him a peck on the lips.

Tori didn't need to see that, and he didn't need to see the way Saegusa's face turned bright red after that. Yuzuru turned round to face him. "You should go back with me too, Bocchama. I've already called the car."

Tori nodded wordlessly and followed him out, only glancing back to see Saegusa looking wistfully out the café window.

 

* * *

 

The silence in the car was uncomfortable, to say the least, as Tori thought hard about what to say. It was Yuzuru, however, who broke the silence.

"I apologise for Ibara's behaviour today, Bocchama, he isn't usually this bad." Yuzuru let's out a sigh, still looking out of the window and not at Tori. "He has had a difficult childhood, you see, and a slight grudge against the Himemiyas."

"Not sure how knowing that he hates me is supposed to make me like him," muttered Tori. "But he did mention my family. What was with that?"

Yuzuru turned to look at him. "You know about the orphanage. He came from there."

Tori paused, letting the information sink in. He knew about the orphanage , as he was soon set to inherit the family business, and he knew about the questionable facility that came after it, the one that Yuzuru also trained at...

Ah.

Maybe Tori was starting to feel a little guilty now for insulting Saegusa from the start. Even if he was being unbearably annoying.

"I care about both of you a lot," continued Yuzuru. "I would like if you two got along."

"OK...." replied Tori, but there was still one thing he wanted to ask.

"Yuzuru... Are you really happy with him?"

Yuzuru paused, and then gave a small chuckle. "I find it hard to believe it myself but, yes, I do love him so."

Gross. "I guess we both have bad taste for boys with red hair then."

"Suou-sama is actually a very nice person, and you know that, Bocchama."

"Would you say the same for Saegusa?"

Yuzuru laughed again. "No, rather, I don't think he would appreciate me saying that."

Tori leaned back in his seat. Well at least Yuzuru seemed to know what he was doing, and he would have to trust him on that. He usually makes good decisions, after all.

Tori might want to do a bit more research on the Saegusa, though.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Hey now that I've finished this fic after 84 years can happyele pls let ibara out if the basement. Where is he. Stop letting him be gone  
> Anyway I formatted this entirely on my phone so apologies for any weird looking formatting. Merry Christmas.  
> Twitter @spacetier


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